8-Day Adventure Through the Swiss Alps
On the Via Alpina # 1 National Trail – “One of the World’s best hikes”
World’s Best Swiss Alps Hike
Backpacker Magazine calls this “One of the World’s Best Hikes”. You hike on Switzerland’s National Via Alpina #1 signposted trail and are constantly surrounded by breathtaking Swiss alps panoramas throughout your entire itinerary. You will be surprised how well marked, wide with easy to moderate hiking all the while in the middle of the Swiss Alps.
During your multi day hike, you experience awesome breathtaking views of glaciers, dramatic mountain peaks, green pastures with alpine flora and fauna and lots cow bells ringing in the air. This is one of the most popular hikes in Europe. Completing this hike is one of the best feelings in the world! It gives you a sense of accomplishment that not many other adventures can.
What makes Echo Rails & Trails Multi-Day Adventure Hikes Unique?
- Independent & Flexible – Bookable on any date that fits your schedule – other companies just do groups with very limited departures.
- Semi-Guided – You are met at the airport & transferred to your hotel at the trails’s beginning, for a hassle-free start of your journey. A guide will join you for the first day of hiking to get you oriented with the trails and markings of Switzerland, with a detailed explanation of your itinerary to ensure you understand all the services and features of your trip.
- Self-Guided Supported – Local Lucerne office help line available from 9:00 to 5:00 p.m. should you have questions or run into any problems along the trip.
- The itinerary will lead you from the heart of the alps to the majesty of the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau region (famed landscape of many Swiss postcards) – with a route designed to provide more “Scenic Swiss Alps per Step” then any other.
- Includes – First night in Engelberg, 1 night Melchsee-Frutt, 3 nights Grindelwald & 2 nights Mürren; all exceptionally scenic alpine villages.
- Luggage transfers in Engelberg, Melchsee-Frutt & Grindelwald – You leave your luggage at the hotel counter by 8:30 and is delivered at your next hotel by 6:00p.m. the same day.
- We offer a Half-Fare card where it makes sense to use public transportation all at a 50% reduction – no other company offers this.
- Excellent Value / best price – Under $400.- per day per person with airport transfers, daily luggage transfer & Half-Day card offering 50% reduction on all public transportation and private cable cars & gondolas.
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Day 1: Arrive at the Zürich airport and transfer to Lucerne
Welcome & Orientation
Our ECHO Rails & Trails guide will be waiting outside the customs area with a sign with your name(s) on it so just look for the person with a red or white ECHO ball cap.
You will be welcomed, greeted and along with your luggage, you will be transferred to your Engelberg hotel. This 2 hour journey takes you through countryside, lakes, and soon you are in the heart of the alps.
Our Guide will give you a detailed briefing of the itinerary and will provide you with all the documentation for the trip including hiking maps, detailed itinerary, safety kit, etc.
The rest of the day is on your own to explore this small alpine resort surrounded by alps.
Day 2: Lucerne to Engelberg and Melchsee-Frutt
We’ll take a one hour trail ride from Lucerne to Engelberg. Then we’ll being the day’s hike.
Today’s Hike – 4 to 5 hours total hiking, 8 miles distance, Total Day’s ascent 1,400 ft , Total Day’s descent 1,600 ft.
Our guide will meet you at the hotel at 9:00. Place your luggage by reception with the Echo Trails tags in place. It will be transferred to your next hotel in Melchsee-Frutt. Your luggage is in good hands.
Pack lightly – just sufficient things for the day.
Our guide will accompany you on this day’s hike. Throughout the day, your guide will explain how the Swiss hiking trails and trail signs work. You have the entire day to ask all your questions about your itinerary.
By the time you reach Melchsee-Frutt, you will feel very confident about continuing.
While hiking, be sure to enjoy the breathtaking vistas, walk past beautiful alpine lakes, historic hotels, alpine dairies, and mountain chapels.
After your first full day of hiking, you will enjoy your very comfortable hotel with indoor swimming pool, sauna and steam rooms to relax & recharge.
Day 3. Melchsee-Frutt – Meiringen – Grindelwald
Total hiking 3 to 4 hours, 6 miles distance, 700 ft up and hiking on level ridge trail.
Total hiking 3 to 4 hours, 6 miles distance, 700 ft up and hiking on level ridge trail.
This day of hiking will be gorgeous. There will be alpine peaks in the distance while viewing green valleys and pastures below. One of the Swiss hiking guides describes this segment as a “Hike near to heaven”, with Swiss peaks of the Wetterhorn, Mittelhorn & Rothorn in your sights.
Today is a combination of hiking to a cable car station, riding down to Meiringen, then taking the local postal bus from the Meiringen train station to the resort of Grindelwald.
The guide will have explained the options of how to get to Grindelwald. Given the weather conditions you will want to choose the safest route possible.
Day 4 & 5: Grindelwald
Majestic, Awesome, Views of the Jungfrau Mountains
We scheduled two full days at the base of the Eiger to explore the incredible surrounding alps.
You are in a hiking paradise with stunning views of dramatic mountain peaks, glaciers, green pastures and Alpine flora and fauna, often with cow bells clanking in view.
During the briefing with our guide in Engelberg, we will discuss the many safe, Grindelwald based sign-posted mountain trails. This way you choose your hikes on the day according to prevailing weather conditions and your energy levels.
In Engelberg, during your briefing and your full day with the local guide, you will be shown the many safe, Grindelwald based sign-posted mountain trails to choose from. This way you choose your hikes on the day according to prevailing weather conditions and your energy levels. You have time to take the Jungfraubahn combination cable car and cogwheel train all the way up to the Jungfraujoch and spend time on Europe’s largest Aletsch glacier. With your Half-Fare card you receive considerable savings.
* Insider tip: we have local English speaking guides in Grindelwald available. They are experts on all the trails and will make this part of the tour even more stunning.
Day 6: Grindelwald – Lauterbrunnen – Mürren
5,000 ft.
Depart via train to Lauterbrunnen with time to walk around the valley of 72 waterfalls.
Visit the Trümmelbach falls gorge: a series of ten glacier-waterfalls are inside the mountain.
Afterwards ride a cable car and train to Mürren. (This is why Rick Steves loves this area).
In Mürren there are many hiking options while viewing the Jungfrau alps of the Eiger, Mönch & Jungfrau.
Your luggage will be at your Mürren hotel by 6:00p.m.
Day 7: Mürren
Spend a Full Day in Mürren at 5,000 ft.
Awesome Swiss Mountain Peaks – Panoramic Scenic Views
You have a full day to experience the beauty of the area.
In Engelberg, during your briefing, the guide will provide a local Mürren map with the many public hiking trails.
If anyone is a James Bond 007 fan, the movie “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” was filmed on the Schiltorn at 8,370 ft. One can experience incredible Swiss Alps vistas. Here too you can use your Half-Fare card and receive a 50% reduction on the cable car rate.
Day 8: Mürren
After breakfast departure to your own destination.
It is suggested you speak with the hotel front desk on the best way to help you with your luggage to the Mürren train station. Plan on about 1 hour by the time you depart your hotel, to take the train to Grütschalp
and the cable car down to Lauterbrunnen. Once in Lauterbrunnen you have access to all the trains to your onward destination. Your Swiss Half-Fare card offers you a 50% reduction on all Swiss public transportation.
For those continuing on to Zermatt, plan on about a 3 hour train ride with easy connections in Interlaken Ost, Spiez, and Visp.
For those traveling to the Zürich airport, also plan on a 3 hour train ride with connections in Interlaken Ost & Bern.
We wish you a safe journey.
Post Trip Option to Zermatt
Rates
Adventure Hike Rates
Adult Standard: US $3,274* per person, based on 2 or more
Adult Standard single supplement: US $620 for one person
Reserve your place on this hike with a 10% deposit – balance due 90 days before the departure date
Included
Includes
- Zürich airport meet, greet, and transfer to Engelberg hotel
- Full Day hiking with our local Swiss, English speaking, guide – accompanying you on first hike from Engelberg to Melchsee-Frutt
- 7 nights lodging in twin-bedded rooms in comfortable 3-4 star hotels/lodges including breakfasts
- Luggage Transfers in Engelberg, Melchsee-Frutt & Grindelwald
- Half-Fare Card that offers Unlimited half price tickets on trains, buses, boats and public transport in cities valid 1 month. Also offers reductions up to 50% discounts on most mountain excursions
- Full set of travel documents including detailed daily itinerary, laminated hike map, detailed hotel finder maps, vouchers and contact information.
- Free Helpline from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
- First-Aid Safety Kit.
Not Included
Not Included
- Lunches and Dinners
- Ground transportation – cable car, local postal bus, train tickets (with your Half-Fare card these all @ 50% reduction rates). Estimated ground transportation rates range from $100. to $200.- depending on how much you use. The cable car, local bus or local train segments are all around in the $20 to $40.- per person range. In Grindelwald the cable car & train to the Jungfraujoch at 13,000 ft. is one of Switzerland’s most expensive private train companies at a rate in the $130.- per person range however, it’s one of the world’s scenic highlights.
- Items of personal nature
- Post Travel Zermatt Option
Currency Exchange
Currency Exchange
The US$ / Swiss Franc currency exchange rates have been relatively stable over the years. However, should the currency exchange rate change more than 2% at time of the final payment, we reserve the right to add the net difference to your final amount.
Cancellation Policy
2020 & 2021 – Amended Cancellation policy
With concerns about the coronavirus we have revised our cancellation to make it more flexible:
· Cancellations made before 90 days prior to departure are subject to a $200.- per person cancellation fee.
· Cancellations made 45 to 90 days prior to departure are subject to $500.- per person cancellation fee
· Cancellations made 31 to 44 days prior to departure are subject to $1,000.- per person cancellation fee
· Cancellations made within 30 days prior to departure are subject to a 100% non-refundable cancellation fee.
Swiss hotel and transportation suppliers require pre-payments and have strict non-cancellation policies.
Transportation vouchers and rail passes are bearer documents and cannot be refunded if lost or stolen.
Changes? When in Switzerland, just dial 079-813-36-10 to reach our office
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